Cement prices continue to rise in AP’s Srikakulam

The Srikakulam District Cement, Iron and Hardware Merchants’ Association President Baratam Kameswara Rao has alleged that “many dealers were selling cement below the purchase price” to keep the business going.

Cement prices continued to rise in the district despite a government diktat to manufacturers to sell each bag of 50 kg at Rs 310 in the retail market. Current prices range between Rs 370 and Rs 410 depending on the brand and quality, according to news reports.

Dealers say it is not “possible to slash prices at their end” since they are “fixed” by the companies. According to them, the demand for cement has come down drastically due to the steep hike in the prices over the past two months.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Srikakulam chapter) also deplored the “attitude of the cement companies” which “failed to follow the government’s directive” to sell at Rs 310 per bag.